Apparatus for pressing soles and flaps against shoe bottoms and heel breasts



SEN 3,055,026

AND FLAPS AGAINST L BREASTS Sept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRA APPARATUS FORPRESSING SOL SHOE BOTTOMS AND HEE Filed June 50, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1In ven for Helge G'ulbr'ana aen .M m ilurllaie Z 3,055,026 L P s AGAINSTSept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRANDSEN APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SOLES AND SHOEBOTTOMS AND HEEL BR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 50, 1960 Sept. 25, 1962H. LBRANDSEN 3,055,026

APPARATUS FOR PRE NG SOLES AND FLAPS AGAINST SHOE BOT 0 AND HEEL BREASTSFiled June 60, 1960 3 Sheets$heet 3 3,955,@26 APPARATUE Ffili PRELiEilNGSQLES AND FLAIS AGAENFE SHQE BQTlf-QMS AND HEEL BREAS'IS HelgeGuibrandsen, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe MachineryCorporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June30, 1960, Ser. No. 49,061 Claims. (Cl. lib-16.2)

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for pressureattaching outsoles to cement shoes and simultaneously for attachingbreast covering flaps to heels already secured to the bottoms of theshoes through the application of simultaneous pressures on the outsolesand flaps. More particularly, the invention is intended to improvepressure pads for machines disclosed more fully in an application forUnited States Letters Patent, Serial No. 763,055, filed September 24,1958 in the name of the present inventor, now application Serial No.91,547, filed February 24, 1961.

in attaching breast covering flaps to heels it is necessary not only toprovide means shown in inventors prior application for preventingdisplacement of the heels but also to apply pressure at right angles toall surfaces with uniformity in order that wrinkling of the flaps willbe avoided, particularly about concavely curved surfaces of the heels.It is also highly desirable to prevent wrapping of the heel fiaps aboutthe outer surfaces of the heels.

in meeting the essentials set forth above, it has been found extremelydifficult to use hollow fluid containing pads, such as water bags, forthe reason that they assume their configuration while pressing againstthe surfaces of a heel breast almost entirely from the shapes of thesurfaces against which they are expanded by fluid pressure. Accordingly,fluid containing pads will contact first and press against certainsurfaces substantially before engagement with other surfaces, so thattheir tendency is to stretch and apply components of pressure along thefirst contacted surfaces before contacting the other surfaces. In sodoing a flap is wrinkled or otherwise displaced. Also, fluid containingpads will press flaps about corners of heel breasts onto outer finishedsurfaces of the heels in such a way that it is difficult to trim theflaps along the corners, besides inducing transfer of cement from theflaps to the finished surfaces outside the corners.

The machine of the prior application avoids the difliculties encounteredwith water bags by permitting the use of any one of several differentsolid multilayer pad elements, each shaped to conform with theconfiguration of a limited size range of shoes against which they are tobe pressed, the actual distribution of pressure being determined by theshape of the pad elements and the compressibility of the materialcomposing them as deter-mined by Shore durometer measurement. In thisway a more effective shoe construction is afforded with less opportunityfor the occurrence of faults or flaws in essential construction, greatercontrol of the pressures being afforded by the use of properly formedsolid pad elements, as distinguished from the use of hydraulic pressureto apply pressures in proper directions. While the use of solid padelements is desirable in providing higher quality of sole attachingoperations, such pad elements ordinarily lack the versatility forsuccessful operations upon a full range of shoe styles and sizes thatmay otherwise be operated upon successfully with the use of a single setof interconnected hollow pads or water bags.

An important object of the present invention is to provide shoe soleattaching apparatus containing a solid pad wherein the pad may becomposed of a plurality of layers and other removable elements, thedivisions and configurations of which eanble convenient replacement foreffective sole and heel attaching with a minimum num- 3,055,025 PatentedSept. 25, 1962 ice her of substitutions throughout a complete range ofshoe sizes. More particularly, an object of the invention is to providea solid pad for use in the machine of the prior application, aboveidentified, which pad is composed of a forepart layer of resilientmaterial and one of a series of resilient and laterally expansible shankpressing ele= ments for use with the particular forepart layer, enablinga full range of shoe styles and sizes to be operated upon effectively bythe machine of the prior application. In a more limited sense a purposeof the invention is to provide a series of quickly interchangeablelaterally expansible shank pressing elements for attaching a sole to thebottom surface of a shoe and a breast covering flap to a high heelalready attached to the shoe bottom, whereby a full range of shoe stylesand sizes may be operated upon effectively while retaining all of theadvantages of solid pad as distinguished from a hollow pad of the waterbag type.

Consistent with the foregoing objects the illustrated machine isprovided with a pad box for a solid pad formed with a resilient solepressing layer of length to underlie the forepart of a shoe bottom and,with other layers, to project rearwardly beyond the heel end of a shoeon the pad, so that an opening is provided in all said layers for theheel of the shoe, which pad box also contains a resilient and laterallyexpansible shank element having a horizontally enlarged portion ofbulbous cross section fitting the shank and heel breast surfaces of theshoe and a hat base fitted to a heel opening in the pad and supportedwithin the heel opening rigidly by an inner surface of the pad box. Thepad in the box is of the multilayer type, preferably with a number ofresilient lower layers to support the forepart pressing layer and thebase of the expansible shank pressing element is formed with spacedstabilizing toes between which is a heel receiving recess to insureclearance for the heel of the shoe as it enters the heel opening in thepad, preventing improper distribution of pressure along the sole, shank,or heel breast. To intensify the lateral expansion of the shank pressingelement, in one form of this feature it has beneath its base arelatively nonresilient block constructed with a lower surface restingon a flat inner surface of the pad box. As illustrated, the nonresilientblock is formed along its lower surface with a convexity to equalize theexpansion of the shank pressing element along its central portion.

In the pad box disclosed in inventors prior application aboveidentified, a heightwise compressible and laterally expansible externalheel supporting member is mounted for movement lengthwise of a shoe onthe pad in the box toward and from the heel of the shoe and is formedwith a ribbed surface for assisting in locking the heel supportingmember against movement away from the heel. To improve the lockingaction of the supporting member on the pad in the box, according to afurther feature of the invention, the upper sole pressing layer projectsrearwardly beyond the heel end of the shoe, and is constructed with aseries of grooves extending widthwise of the shoe to cooperate with ribson the heel supporting member, the ribs on the heel supporting memberbeing of the same spacing as the grooves in the upper layer of the soleengaging pad, and in a desirable construction embodying this feature thegrooved portion of the upper pad layer, in which the grooves are formedis composed of material having less resiliency as measured by a higherdurometer of hardness than the forepart portion of that layer.

To enable the use of one of a series of interchangeable shank engagingelements the bulbous portions of all the shank elements are graded, inaccordance with the invention, with increasing thicknesses as measuredlengthwise of a shoe co-operating therewith for increasing sizes toinsure that the ball of each shoe operated upon will be centered in aball receiving concavity of the pad while the shank element fits theheel breast of a particular shoe.

It has been found that when a series of shank elements constructed inaccordance with the present invention is graded in accordance with thisfeature, that the most effective variation in proportions is obtainedwhen height and thickness difference ratios are maintained approximatelyequal.

These and other features as hereinafter described and claimed, willreadily be apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdetailed description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and shown insection of portions of a machine with a shoe disposed on a pad boxtherein according to the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rearward portion of the pad box shown in FIG.1 and of certain of the pad elements therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the portions of the padsurrounding the heel of a shoe, illustrating the manner of operationduring attachment of a heel breast p;

FIG. 4 is a perspective detail view of a heel supporting pad in themachine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view of a heel breast and shank padelement employed in the pad box, and

FIGS. 6 to 8 inclusive illustrate a series of three heel breast andshank pad elements shown in vertical cross section taken on the lineVIVI of FIG. 5, which extends lengthwise of a shoe engaged thereby.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is intended for operation on acement shoe to the bottom of which there is already attached a Louis orother similar type of heel. A Louis heel shoe is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3at it With its heel 12 temporarily attached as by a single Holdfast nail14 (FIG. 3). The tread surface of the shoe and possibly the seat towhich the heel is fitted is covered by a layer of pressure sensitiveadhesive so that the attachment of the heel by the nail 14 is reinforcedby the cement upon application of suitable pressure. The shoe bottom hasapplied to it an outsole 16, the rearward end of which is reduced toform a breast flap 18 for the heel l2. During operation of the machinethe outsole 16 is pressed into intimate contact with the shoe bottom andthe flap is pressed simultaneously against the heel breast withsimultaneous pressures, forming a continuous bond throughout thecombined areas of the sole and fiap with a smooth, unwrinkledappearance.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings the machine is provided With acomposite multilayer pad secured by a marginal plate 20 in a box havingangularly adjustable parts 22, 24, and 26, the adjustments beingobtained in a manner more fully disclosed in United States LettersPatent No. 2,568,065, granted September 18, 1951 upon application of thepresent inventor. The forepart box part 22 has a relatively flat innersurface 23 and contains the multilayer pad formed with a resilient upperlayer 30 constructed to press directly and exclusively against theforepart of a shoe bottom and resilient lower pad layers 32, 34, 36, and38, the upper layer being supported by the lower layers and all thelayers projecting rearwardly beyond the heel of a shoe. All of thelayers have openings for the heel of the shoe at their rearward ends andare so disposed that substantial lengths of the pads project rearwardlybeyond the openings. The openings in the layers 30, 32 and 34 areindicated at 40 and are of rectangular shapes with rearward extensionsof narrower widths than the main portions of the openings. The openingsin the layers 36 and 38 are illustrated at 42 and are of the samerectangular shape as the openings 40 except that there are no rearwardextensions of narrower width in the openings 42 (see FIG. 1).

In the machine of inventors prior application the shank portion of ashoe being processed is pressed between its ball portion and the breastof its heel with three resilient and laterally expansible, verticallydivided shank pressing pad elements, which may be removed or replacedwith other similarly shaped shank pad elements when different styles andsizes of shoes are to be operated upon. Frequently, it is necessary tosubstitute for these shank pad elements others having radicallydifferent dimensional and hardness characteristics. Under theseconditions a large supply of shank pad elements and their divisions ofdifferent thicknesses measured in a direction lengthwise of a shoeengaged thereby are required and usually a considerable amount of timeis spent by a machine operator in handling the prior shank pad elementsfor the purpose of fitting shoes of different styles and sizes.

In fulfillment of the purposes of the present invention, hereinbeforestated, it has been found possible to grade a small number of quicklyreplaceable, resilient laterally expansible shank pressing pad elementswith increasing thicknesses for selective insertion into the heelopenings 4t of the pads 30, 32 and 34 without the necessity ofmaintaining a large supply of vertically divided component parts as inthe prior machine. In accordance with this feature, it is possible tooperate effectively upon any style and size of womens high heel shoethrough the use of only three undivided and replaceable shank pressingpad elements, each pad element fitting the shanks of shoes in a range ofsizes covering a little more than half of a particular style. For a fullrange of sizes in any particular style, therefore, only two shankelements are required. These three shank pad elements comprise a set,any one of which may be substituted for another and each of which bearsa specific relationship with the others in order to produce the propervertical compressibility and lateral expansibility in performing a soleand heel flap attaching operation.

The set of the present shank pad elements is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7,and 8, and each element of the set is constructed generally of T-shape,best shown in FIG. 5, somewhat the same as disclosed in inventors priorapplication. All of the elements in the set are designated 44, theindividual ones being referred to hereinafter as -44, 7, or -3. Eachshank element has horizontally opposed arms 46, which projecttransversely of a shoe on that element into lateral positions forbridging the openings 4b of the pad layer 3d and those below. As in themachine of the prior application, the principal purpose of these arms isto bridge the openings 40 and to distribute the pressure of the shoealong the upper surface of the pad layer 30, thus concentrating theexpanding pressure of the shank engaging element 44 on the shoe shank asthe forces applied by the lower pads at either side tend to wrap thehorizontal arms upwardly about the shoe.

Each of the shank pad elements 44 of the series has a flat base 4-8 ofthe same outside perimeter and dimensions as the heel openings 42 of thelower pads. Above the base 48 each shank engaging element has ahorizontally enlarged portion 50 of bulbous vertical cross sectionfitting the shank of a number of shoes of different sizes and styles. Acentral section 52 of each bulbous portion, taken vertically andlengthwise of a shoe engaging the pad, is of reduced area and hasdimensions somewhat less than the other parallel sections in the arms46. These reduced sections are formed to fit the lengthwise curvaturesbetween the shoe shanks and heels and are graded in a manner illustratedin FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 by increasing their heights and similarlyincreasing their thicknesses as measured lengthwise of a shoe to bepressed thereby for the full range of shoe sizes in accordance with aspecific formula.

The formula for controlling the minimum area sections of the series ofshank engaging elements 44 prosupposes a shank element of average heightand width, which in the particular series shown is represented by theelement 44-7, having a height of 3 and a thickness of 1 5 With the shankengaging element 44-7 taken as average size it has been found that onlytwo elements of the series are required to cover a complete line of shoestyles, the element 44-7 being utilized with either the element 44-6 or44-8 to cover the full range of sizes for one particular style.

The formula sets up a relationship between the individual shank padelements 4 5 in the series shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, and is in theform of a direct proportion of height and thickness difference ratiosthroughout the series. For smaller or larger sizes of shank pressingelements 44-6 or 448, a difference in height necessitates acorresponding difference in thickness, so that if the heights ofsuccessive shank elements are expressed as A, B, and C and thethicknesses are expressed as M, N, and O for the respective shankpressing elements, then the differences are all in direct proportion andtheir ratio is a constant, as:

N M B- A ON C B where K is the constant.

With the section 5?; of minimum area in the bulbous portion of eachshank engaging element maintained as determined by the formula notedabove, uniform and reliable sole attaching results are obtainablethroughout the range of shoe styles and sizes by simple substitution ofone pad for another. Success in use of the series is obtainable byreason of the variations between the shank engaging elements in bringingthe ball portion, indicated at 54 of each shoe into a concavity 56(FIG. 1) in the upper pad 30, which concavity fits the ball portion forthe full range of shoe styles and sizes. For instance, with a style ofshoe such as illustrated in FIG. 1, shank engaging elements 44-7 and44-8 together are sufiicient to cover the entire range of sizes, thelargest shank element 44-8 being sufficiently versatile to cover thelarger half of the size range and the smaller shank element 44-7 beingsufliciently versatile to cover the lower half of size range. If a stylehaving open toes and heels is being operated upon it has been found thatit is necessary to utilize the smallest shank element 44-6 and thelargest element 444: is not needed. This is because with open toes andheels it has been found necessary to provide a heel which has a largersupporting area for the shoe and consequently has a breast face locatedmore closely to the ball of the shoe. Thus, the smallest shank elementof narrowest Width is then required in order to bring the ball of thesmallest size of shoe into the concavity 56 of the pad 30.

A further advantage of the present series of shank elements is that thenecessity for constructing an upper layer with a length extending onlyto the ball line of the shoe is avoided and instead a single unitaryupper layer 3511 extending the full length of the pad box is renderedpossible, the upper layer being retained in fixed relation by theconfines of the pad box to the lower layers. Any slight variation indistance between the heel breast and the ball portion of a particularstyle of shoe may, accordingly, be accommodated by locating theconcavity 56 in the upper pad layer 30 directly above a hinge joint pin58 between the pad box parts 22 and 24, the angle between the pad boxparts 22 and 24 being adjustable, so that the concavity 56 is displacedtoward the toe engaging end of the pad box more or less with an increasein angle between the parts 22 and 24.

To provide space for relative movement for the heel of a shoe beingoperated upon, the base 48 to the shank engaging element 44 comprises apair of stabilizing toes 60 between which is a heel receiving recess 62(FIG. 5) open at its rearward end. The end surfaces of the toes 60 areinclined downwardly in a rearward direction and the over-all length ofthe toes is the same as the lengths of the openings 42.

Each of the shank engaging elements has a flat upwardly extendingsurface 64 along its forward side intersecting the curved surface of thebulbous portion with an abrupt corner 66 at a uniform height above theflat base 4% throughout the series. The relation between the surface 48and the flat surface 64 is 102, so that when the uncompressed shankengaging element rests in the openings 46 of the supporting pad layersit leaves a wedge shaped gap 67 (see FIG. 1), which is taken up bylateral expansion during the sole compressing operation on a shoe asshown in FIG. 3. The abrupt corner 66 of the shank engaging elment isintended to match the height of an upstanding corner 6% on the upper pad30.

The shank engaging element 44 is support rigidly by the inner surface ofthe pad box part 24-. To intensify lateral expansion of the shankengaging element under pressure against a shoe a relatively nonresilientblock 7 t has its lower surface resting directly on the fiat inner surface of the pad box beneath the base of the shank engaging element. Thenonresilient block is formed with a convex lower surface 71 to equalizethe expansion of the shank element along the portions engaging the shoe.Along its upper surface the nonresilient block 70 is formed with a slot72 having a width corresponding to the distance between the stabiliz ngtoes for clearance purposes with shoes having extremely high heels.

In the machine of inventors prior application the lateral force appliedby expansible shank engaging elements to the heel of a shoe during anattaching operation is resisted by a solid rubber heel supporting pad inthe form of a block, corresponding to that illustrated. herein at 74.The heel supporting block is movable against the inclined rearwardsurface of the shoe heel and is arranged to engage the overhanging heelbase in a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe between theheel and the resilient layers in a pad box. The heel supporting block isexpanded during each operation at the same time and to the same extentas are the shank elements, thus relieving the heel of strain andproducing the desired attaching results.

The present heel supporting block 74 is locked in position along theupper pad layer in the same manner as the heel supporting block in theprior application. To assist in locking the present heel supportingblock 74 it has a roughened under surface in the form of a series ofribs 76 which are forced against the upper surface of the upper padlayer 30. To intensify the locking action the upper surface of the padlayer 30, in the illustrated machine, beyond the heel end of the shoe isformed with parallel grooves 78 extending widthwise of the shoe. Thegrooves 78 are spaced from each other the same amount as the ribs 76 onthe block 74, so that upon ap* plication of pressure to the shoe bottomthe ribs 76 are forced into the grooves 78 with a positive lockingengagement. To provide a rigid locking action the rearward end of thelayer 30 has a harder strip of material 79 cemented to it in which thegrooves 78 are cut (FIG. 3).

A sole attaching pressure in the illustrated machine is applied to ashoe bottom in a manner corresponding to that disclosed in the priorapplication above identified. The pad box has its adjustable partsmounted between a pair of side plates 80 of a base, which in turn issecured to the upper end of a piston 82 operating to apply pres surethrough the pad box to the shoe. The piston carry ing the pad and theside plates are mounted for move ment in a cylinder 84 forming a part ofthe main frame in the machine. When hydraulic pressure is in troducedinto the cylinder 84 the pads in the box 22, 24, and 26 raise the shoeinto engagement with toe and heel engaging members 86 and S8, stoppingupward move ment of the shoe and compressing its bottom surface againstthe pad layers 30 to 38 inclusive, the shank en gaging element 44 andthe heel supporting block 74. To smooth irregularities formed by thejoints between the pad layer 39 and the shank element 44 they areshielded by a leather cover 89.

For mounting the heel supporting pad block '74, the block is secured tothe forward end of a bar 90 mounted for movement lengthwise of the shoeand toward and from the rearward surface of the shoe heel in a carrier92 (see FIG. 1), and the carrier is pivotally mounted on a pin 94passing through a lug on the carrier and a pair of upwardly extendingarms 96 of a bracket secured between the sides plates 80 of the pad boxbase. As the shoe is raised into engagement with the supports 86 and 88the bar 9t} moves the block 74 against the heel of the shoe Where it islocked during application of pressure on the shoe.

There are many advantages in utilizing a preformed solid butcompressible pad in the pad box 22, 24, and 26, inasmuch as the upperpad layer 34) may be preshaped to apply a more intense presure aroundthe margin of the shoe sole and portions of the shank, rather than depending upon the shape of the shoe as it is presented to the machine topreform a fluid containing a hollow pad. Thus, with a solid butcompressible pad preformed to apply a more intense pressure around thesole margin, the attaching operation may be accomplished successfullyand at the same time a molding action may be imposed on the shoe sole16. Also, to enhance the sole molding operation the shank engaging padelement 44 has a central depression 98 (FIG. within which the shank ofthe shoe being operated upon is held from lateral displacement, so thatas the shoe is presented to the pad it is easy to locate it properly inthe depression, and during the application of pressure to the shoe it isheld from lateral displacement by the enlarged sections in the arms 46on the shank engaging element.

It is ordinary practice to utilize a multilayer pad in a pad box, inwhich the uppermost layer pressing against or otherwise acting directlyon the shoe sole is composed of material having a higher measure ofShore durorneter hardness than the lower supporting layers of the pad.However, with the pad layers and elements in the present invention, ithas been found desirable to construct the shank pressing element 44 andthe rearward grooved strip 79 of the upper layer 3t} of material havinga higher measure of durometer hardness than the remainder of the upperlayer 3th the layers 34, 36 and 3% or the heel supporting block 74.

Examples of Shore durometer hardness units of the material utilized forthe pad layers and other elements are given in the following table:

Heal Supporting Block Lower Pad Shank Upper Pad 74 and Strip Layers 32,Pressing Layer 30 79 ofsgiayer 34, 36 and 38 Element i4 70 to 75 60 to65 70 to 75 65 As is apparent from this table, the range of possiblehardness in the heel supporting block 74 and the shank pressing element44 is greater than in the other parts, for the reason that according tothe invention a less critical pressure condition exists than has beenobtainable heretofore and a more reliable operation results. The upperpad layer 30 and its strip 79 having different degrees of hardness showsan advantage where the rearwardly extending portion beyond the heel isgrooved to co-operate with ribs on an expansible heel supporting block,which of necessity must be of sufficient compressibility to enable it toexpand laterally in supporting the rearward surfaces of the heel. Thus,in accordance with the invention it is preferable to utilize a heelsupporting member 74 composed of material having the same measure ofdurometer hardness as that in the rearwardly extending grooved strip 79of the layer 30 against which the member 74 is pressed, the remainder ofthe layers 32 to 38 being less hard.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and aspecific embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising apad box having resting within its inner surface a composite multilayerpad formed with a resilient upper layer of a length to underlie theforepart of a shoe bottom and a resilient lower pad layer restingagainst an inner surface of the pad box to support the upper layer andto project beyond the heel of a shoe on the pad in the box, at least oneof which layers has an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combinationwith a resilient and laterally expansible shank pressing element in thepad box having a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross sectionfitting the shank and heel breast surfaces of the shoe and supportedrigidly within the heel opening by an inner surface of the pad box.

2. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising apad box having a composite multilayer pad formed with a resilient upperlayer of a length to underlie the forepart of a shoe bottom and aresilient lower pad layer in the box to support the upper layer and toproject rearwardly beyond the heel of a shoe on the pad, at least one ofwhich layers has an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combinationwith a resilient and laterally expansible shank pressing element in thepad box having a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross sectionfitting the shank and heel breast surfaces of the shoe and a flat basefitting the heel opening in the pad layer and comprising stabilizingtoes between which is a heel receiving recess.

3. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel as in claim2, in which there is mounted in the opening of the pad layer arelatively nonresilient block resting on the inner surface of the padbox beneath the shank pressing element and the stabilizing toes thereofto intensify the lateral expansion of the shank pressing element underpressure against the shank of the shoe.

4. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 2, in whichthe laterally expansible shank pressing element has formed thereonopposed arms projecting transversely of the shoe in positions forbridging the opening in the lower pad layer to concentrate the expandingpressure of the shank engaging element on the heel breast and arelatively nonresilient block disposed within an opening of the lowerlayer beneath the shank engaging element to intensify the lateralexpansion of the shank engaging element under pressure along the portionengaging the shank of the shoe.

5. Apparatus for pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface ofwhich a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 4, in whichone of the pad layers along the portion projecting rearwardly beyond theheel end of the shoe is formed with parallel grooves extending widthwiseof the shoe and an expansible external heel supporting member is movablelengthwise of the shoe toward and from the heel and is formed with aribbed surface, the ribs of which are of the same spacing as the groovesin said projecting layer for locking engagement with the ribs on thesupporting member under pressure against the shoe.

6. Apparatus for pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface ofwhich a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 5, in whichsaid projecting pad layer beyond the heel of the shoe includes a striphaving a higher measure of durometer hardness than the forepart portionof that layer.

7. Apparatus for pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaces ofwhich a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 6, in whichthe expansible external heel supporting member is composed of materialhaving the same measure of durometer hardness as that in the groovedstrip on the projecting pad layer against which it is pressed.

8. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached, and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast, comprising a pad boxhaving a relatively fiat inner surface, a multilayer pad formed with aresilient upper layer of a length to underlie the forepart of a shoebottom and a resilient lower layer extending along the inner surface ofthe pad box to support the upper layer and to project rearwardly beyondthe heel end of the shoe, the rearwardly projecting end of the lowerlayer having an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with aresilient laterally expansible shank pressing element disposed in theheel opening of the lower layer and formed with a flat bottom facecomprising stabilizing toes, between which is a heel receiving recessand above which is a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous crosssection fitting the shank and heel breast of the shoe, and a relativelynonresilient block having its lower surface resting on the flat innersurface of the pad box beneath the base of the shank engaging elementand within the opening of the lower pad layer to support the shankpressing element and to intensify its lateral expansion under pressureagainst the shank of the shoe.

9. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 8, in whichthe nonresilient block has its lower surface formed with a convexity toequalize the expansion of the shank pressing element along the shoeshank.

10. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flapintegral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 9, in whichthe nonresilient block is formed with a slot having a widthcorresponding to the distance between the stabilizing toes for clearancepurposes while operating on shoes having extremely high heels.

11. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising apad box having a pad therein formed with a length to engage the forepartof a shoe bottom and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe with aconcavity for the ball of the shoe and with an opening for the heel ofthe shoe, in combination with one of a set of quickly replaceable andresilient laterally expansible shank pressing elements for insertioninto the heel opening of the pad, each of which shank pressing elementshas a flat base of the same outside perimeter as the heel opening in thepad and above the base a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous crosssection fitting the shank of one of a series of different sizes ofshoes, the bulbous portions of the shank pressing elements being gradedwith increasing thicknesses as measured lengthwise of a shoe engagedthereby for increasing sizes of shoes to insure that the ball of eachshoe operated upon will be centered in the concavity of the pad while ashank pressing element fits the heel breast of that shoe.

12. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflat integral with the sole against the breast of the heel as in claim11, in which the base of each shank pressing element comprises a pair ofstabilizing toes between which is a heel receiving recess, the over-alllength of the toes being the same as the length of the opening in thepad.

13. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel as in claim11, in which the bulbous portion of each element has arms projectingover the pad at the sides of the heel opening and is formed with acentral depression within which the shank of the shoe being operatedupon is held from lateral displacement.

14. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising apad box having a pad therein formed with a layer to press the forepartof a shoe bottom and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe with anopening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with one of a set ofquickly replaceable and resilient, laterally expansible shank pressingelements for insertion into the heel opening of the pad, each of whichshank pressing elements has a base of the same outside dimensions as theheel opening in the pad and above the base is a horizontally enlargedportion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank in a limited range ofshoe sizes, the bulbous portions of successive shank pressing elementsbeing graded in thickness as measured lengthwise of a shoe pressedthereby and in height directly in accordance with the ratio of theirrespective differences.

15. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaceof Which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing aflap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising apad box having a pad therein formed with a length to press the forepartof a shoe bottom, in combination with one of a set of quicklyreplaceable and resilient, laterally expansible shank pressing elementshaving a base and a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous crosssection formed with a flat surface disposed at an angle to the base, thebulbous portions of successive shank pressing elements of the set beinggraded in accordance with the ratio of their differences in-thicknessand in height.

No references cited.

